Chapter 1
At a humble convenience store, where Karl worked, it was one of the many tiny establishments scattered throughout the town. The store was neither overcrowded nor completely deserted, with a predictable clientele that included morning bread buyers, post-school candy shoppers, and office workers seeking their afternoon coffee fix.
However, Karl's life was eerily flat. Every day was a repetitive cycle of wake up, work, go home, sleep, and repeat. His existence felt like a wheel spinning without purpose until one day, something extraordinary occurred.
Karl was flipping through magazines on the counter, his mind blank, when a sudden noise startled him. The clock showed almost 3 PM, usually a quieter period. He muttered to himself, "What kind of life is this?" and gently slammed the magazine on the table. Peering out the window, he felt like he was stuck in a rut while the world outside moved at a frantic pace.
Just as he was about to succumb to boredom, a strange sound filled his ears.
[DING!]
Karl jumped, muttering in confusion. He looked around, wondering if the noise came from a store device, but found nothing unusual. Suddenly, a holographic panel materialized before him – floating in mid-air.
[Common Sense Hijack System Activated]
Karl rubbed his eyes, thinking it might be a hallucination brought on by his prolonged zoning out. But the panel remained, flashing cryptic messages that seemed to speak directly to him. Karl's jaw dropped as he nearly laughed at the absurdity.
"What in the world? Am I dreaming or is this some kind of prank?" he reached out to touch the panel, but his finger passed through the empty air. "Is this some kind of hologram or... am I just too tired?" he mumbled.